Name your top 5 of the year
Gerardo (Crusader)
So we are in July and thought how about naming your top 5 favorite
releases of the year. Here are mine:
1) Yes-Fly From Here: Hands down so far. This record actually sounds
like Yes, not Yes trying to sound like Yes. Trevor Horn's production
is breathtaking, imho.
2) Beardfish-Mammoth: I really dig this Swedish quirky retro-modern
prog band. Love their previous 'Destined Solitaire' and love this one
as well.
3) Symphony X-Iconoclast: I bought the 2 cd special edition and this
album is crushing awesome by the listen. If you like their previous
'Paradise Lost', you'll dig this one as this is an extension in sound
of that one.
4) Lisa LaRue's 2KX-Fast and Blue: I highly recommend this one! Ms.
LaRue in total prog rock territory showing how it is actually done;
and of course, Mr. Payne, Ryo Okumoto, and Mitch Perry perform on the
record among others. Must-have!
5) Uriah Heep-Into The Wild: The Heepsters follow up their amazing
comeback album 'Wake The Sleeper' with another entertaining and
rockin' record in the Heep tradition.
Honorable mention: 1) Riverside-Memories In My Head EP: This band
never ceases to amaze me. But since it is only an EP I won't place it
in the top 5.
2) Eversham-In Dreams: This is a great discovery for me. This is a
young Australian trio of two bothers and a cousin (the name of the
band is actually the members last name). Brilliant mostly instrumental
record in the vein of Porcupine Tree and Abigail's Ghost. If there is
justice in this world, they should hit it big!
Disapointment so far: John Wetton-Raised in Captivity: Oooh Wetton,
WTF?...and Billy Sherwood's production: Oooh Billy, WTF? (I'll leave
it at that, LOL)
So what are your top 5 so far?,
Gerardo
Jeff Matheus
OK, good topic!
Some of the albums that I am most looking forward to in 2011 haven't come out yet (Circa:, Billy Sherwood's fifth solo album, Touchstone, Landmarq & Magenta), so this list/rankings may change after I hear some of those. But my list for 2011 thus far would be...
1) Yes "Fly From Here" - I agree with Gerardo completely on this one. I find it to be very uplifting. I get that some people miss Jon (I'm a fan of his too, after all), but I find a lot of the criticisms that I've read of this CD to be so over-the-top hostile that I'm not sure whether to laugh them off or hire a body guard for Chris.
2) Mars Hollow "World In Front of Me" - I like this one a lot more than their debut. Wasn't sure about this band at first, but then the songs started to get stuck in my head....Some great rumbling Rickenbacker bass, too, for those of us who like such things!
3) Paatos "Breathing" - A modern Swedish prog/alternative band with a very good female vocalist and a hypnotic, dark vibe to their music. not the kind of stuff that I would usually gravitate towards, but I received a promo copy of the CD for reviewing purposes and liked it more than I thought I would.
4) Vitruvius "S/T" - debut CD from a new prog metal band from Mexico. This is another one that I received a review copy for and liked a lot more than expected. Not usually much of a metal person, but these guys (and their lady singer) are all such fine musicians that they won me over after a few listens.
Biggest disappointment so far this year? For me, hands down, easy choice...
Pendragon "Passion" - These guys used to be my favorite modern prog band, but this is an album that I just can't relate to at all. Some of it's OK, but there are just as many moments that completely turn me off.
JEFF
> Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:12:05 -0700
> Subject: [JPM] Name your top 5 of the year
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